Given Xiao Shiqing’s alertness, if soone were to follow him, he would be able to detect it.
But today, perhaps he was too emotionally agitated, or perhaps the person following him posed no real threat, so he overlooked it.
As soon as he arrived upstairs and sat down, his mother sent soone to inquire the shopkeeper, and the answer was that the private room had been reserved five days ago, but the shopkeeper didn’t know who it was.
Qu Fulan did not show her face when making the reservation. In this era of strict separation between n and won, how could she blatantly arrange a eting with a man?
If it weren’t for the need to speak clearly and sever ties, she wouldn’t have t Xiao Shiqing at all.
Although she has regained her freedom now, if she doesn’t clarify things with Xiao Shiqing, what if he causes trouble for the Pei Mansion afterward?
Qu Fulan wants to focus on her career, so she needs to eliminate potential risks in advance.
As the wheels of the carriage rumbled over the cobblestones, Qu Fulan leaned against the carriage wall and rested with her eyes closed.
She was actually thinking about how to clearly communicate with Xiao Shiqing later.
Following the carriage were two newly bought servant girls, one nad Bicao, the other Ruyin, nas changed by Qu Fulan.
Otherwise, the nas would have been random, even worse than the na Zhaodi she had in modern tis, one being called Yadan and the other Shadan.
Girls from poor families weren’t valued, and many parents didn’t bother to think of nas, choosing randomly instead.
Qu Fulan gave them beautiful nas, making the little servant girls so happy, they could proudly tell others their nas in the future.
Upon reaching the destination, Qu Fulan prepared to get out of the carriage. Due to caution, she looked around twice, spotting an inconspicuous carriage parked on the other side of Hongfu Building.
This wasn’t sothing worth concern initially.
But if there were five or six servants watching by that inconspicuous carriage, it warranted so attention.
Generally, an inconspicuous carriage would be accompanied by two servants at most, due to limited ans and not being able to afford more ostentation.
Otherwise, if conditions allowed, one would use a luxurious large carriage, accompanied by a retinue, making for much more pompous travel.
So usually by observing carriages and the accompanying entourage, one could discern the condition of the opposing family’s finances.
Now, opposite was that carriage, with five or six servants accompanying a small carriage? And appearing in a high-end consumption place like Hongfu Building.
This arrangent felt rather chaotic.
It had the quality of soone wanting to disguise their identity while forgetting their own, only rembering to use a small carriage but forgetting to decrease the number of followers.
This situation raised suspicion in Qu Fulan’s mind.
She did not imdiately disembark.
anwhile, a woman and a young lady sat inside on the second floor—who else could it be but Mrs. Xiao?
"They’ve waited for so long, who is he eting? Why hasn’t the person appeared yet?" Mrs. Xiao, who ca with her son early, had been waiting all morning without seeing a single person.
Their private room was on the second floor, her son’s was on the third, and Mrs. Xiao had networks established—she would go up imdiately if anyone entered her son’s room.
Actually, Mrs. Xiao had her suspicions; who else could cause her son to lose composure but that woman?
Outrageous behavior this would be—despite the formal separation of n and won, how could a young lady still have the shaless audacity to et privately with a man?
Absolutely disgraceful.
Mrs. Xiao was anxious, thinking if Li Jirou dared to appear today, she’d ruin her reputation entirely; how could she face people afterward?
"Maybe it’s not ti yet; probably cousin arrived early." Ji Nishang whispered.
Listening to her confird Mrs. Xiao’s suspicions—it had to be Li Jirou, otherwise with her son’s temperant, when has he ever had the patience to wait so long?
Consequently, Mrs. Xiao’s anger intensified.
Is a servant girl audacious enough to make others wait that long?
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and she let them in.
"Madam, there’s movent upstairs, I saw soone enter with my own eyes."
Mrs. Xiao did not have ti to ask who it was before she got up and hurried upstairs.
Ji Nishang followed behind; her role today was to diate, leaving a good impression in her cousin’s eyes.
Arriving upstairs, however, there was no sign of Li Jirou.
Instead, an eight-year-old boy was inside.
Xiao Shiqing was stunned by the boy’s appearance, unable to inquire before seeing his mother storm inside furious.
No further explanation was necessary for Xiao Shiqing.
"You’re tracking ?"
Mrs. Xiao’s plan failed, and feeling cornered and embarrassed, she pointed at the boy, demanding, "Who let you in? Where is the person who allowed you? Speak quickly!"
Why else would the boy arrive? He must have been directed!
The boy, frightened, couldn’t speak at all.
Mrs. Xiao was increasingly certain Li Jirou had sent the boy to inquire, a mind full of conniving.
How could such a woman dare enter the family?
By now, Mrs. Xiao had long forgotten who Li Jirou was when the Li and Xiao families were neighbors.
She only thought the other side would use any foul ans to marry into a prominent family; such a woman mustn’t be admitted into her family.
Xiao Shiqing’s face was grim, he didn’t even want to speak, stepping out imdiately.
Seeing this, Mrs. Xiao hurried after him.
But her son was tall and fast, quickly leaving her behind, and by the ti she reached the first floor, his horse was already gone.
"Did anyone see which direction the Heir went?"
The servants near the inconspicuous carriage pointed, and Mrs. Xiao hastily followed, but soon she faced crossroads, unsure of the exact route.
Mrs. Xiao was infuriated, almost spitting blood.
She considered returning to question the boy, but he had already run away.
What a futile attempt, running empty-handed.
Now, Xiao Shiqing wasn’t wandering aimlessly ahead—earlier, the boy handed him a note inside the private room.
The paper contained only an address, nothing extraneous.
He was initially unaware of the situation, but after his mother entered the room, he understood.
Upon arriving at the new location, Qu Fulan was already waiting.
"Prince Xiao, wanting to discuss matters with you is truly difficult." Qu Fulan casually poured herself a cup of tea and spoke lightly.
Xiao Shiqing felt guilty for overlooking the situation; he hadn’t noticed being followed.
"I’m sorry, it wasn’t intentional." He imdiately apologized.
Qu Fulan waved a hand, indicating him to sit.
She didn’t waste ti with pleasantries and directly addressed the matter.
"I’ve heard that Prince Xiao and Heir Pei made a wager to compete during the autumn hunt, and the winner could ask the loser for a promise?"
Xiao Shiqing hadn’t expected Pei Ji’an to tell her this; originally he didn’t want her to know, planning to win during the hunt to free her from servitude.
But since she knew, he wouldn’t hide it.
"Yes."
Qu Fulan handed him a contract, "Take a look at this."
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